A Little Love
by Fall Out Guirl
Summary: A night in Paris leads Max to come to a conclusion that could change her opinion of saving the world forever. Max Pov. No Mari, simply slight Fax.


**Hi my fellow Maximum Ride fans! I've returned with another one-shot with great detail and fun! WOO! Sorry, my computer typing is trying to make up for the energy I do not have (Turkey can do that to ya on Thanksgiving). Anyway, here's a new POV that I rarely see and wanted to try out (only in the beginning...maybe another fic someday). Ari haters, please do not throw tomatoes or any sort of item at me. I wanted to portray him in a different fashion. This is NOT a Mari fic. People, it's her BROTHER. And he's seven, she's fourteen. Kinda nasty if you ask me.**

**Anyway, on to the Disclaimer.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Max or the Flock…darn. Or Good Night, Moon. Good book, excellent read.**

**Fang: **_**grumbles**_

**Me: What?**

**Fang: You got turkey AND you're writing about the guy who's my enemy?! **_**Glares**_

**Me: If I give you a cookie and a hug will you forgive me?**

**Fang: I'll take the cookie. Hold the hug.**

**Me: **_**cries

* * *

**_

Ari POV

Um…hello. I'm sure I'm the least person you all want to hear from. I mean, after all of the stuff that's happened with me and the Flock. I'm not a great kid…and I'm positive you agree. Anyway, I'm not really going to tell you my side of the story. Besides, how can I? I'm dead. I'll let Max take it from here.

Max POV

The city of lights and romance. Paris, France. It's nice here, and much to your surprise, I decided to make a stop for the night. Okay, okay, it was the Bambi eyes! Sheesh, you get it from two little girls and a dog, you've got to cave in.

The room was in mid-condition, but it was nice. Has a nice vintage vibe for it, and it works better than any cave floor. I had the part of the Flock with me all in the same room. I don't want any risks.

Angel and Nudge are still apprehensive of Ari. For bed arrangements, the two were going to share one bed. I was taking the other, and Ari was going to sleep in the chair. I had offered to share with him, but he refused. The poor kid has been through the same amount of crap that we have, and yet the others mistreat him. I understand all of the things he's done wrong, but he's going to die any day now! Why couldn't Fang see that?

I miss Fang…I know, you weren't expecting that. I deny it again and again, but I'm so tired of it all. I mean, he's my best friend, and we can't even agree! I wish we could just forget this all happened. You're expecting me to be all stubborn? Too bad, I'm missing someone close to me that I've been best friends with all my life.

Enough about my drama. I think you really wanted to hear what's going on.

It was midnight, my watch. I had assumed watch majority of the time, since I didn't have Fang or Iggy. My eyes skimmed the room, stopping on the chair where Ari was supposed to be. He wasn't there.

Darting up, I began to search the room. Maybe Fang was right. I pushed back the curtains to the window, spotting it open. And I felt tears come to my eyes at the sight.

Ari was seated on the window sill outside, his arms huddled around himself. His figure was shaking, and I hated the sight. Bulky, hairy arms were covered, his wings stretched out and encasing him almost like a shell. I could not leave him like that, not any longer.

I slid my way through the window, ending up seated at his side. He must have heard me, because he was hastily clawing at his eyes in attempts to wipe them.

"Ari? Are you okay?" I asked, as he lifted his head. His eyes were swollen slightly, and he seemed so afraid for once. Like he was no longer a vicious Eraser, but a frightened little boy.

"Yeah…Fine…" he mumbled, his wings seeming to enclose him tighter. I reached my hand out, stroking them. They were not like Gazzy or Nudge's wings, not soft or delicate. No, they were coarse and furry, but that made no difference. They could be needles, but I would not care. There was one thing that Ari had never been truly shown, and that was a family love. I was afraid he would never receive that before he expired.

"No, you're not. Don't lie to me," I said, and I could have sworn I saw his wings twitch back. "What's up?"

He retreated out of his feathered shell, like an uncertain mouse. I gave him a small smile, him returning it. His inner little boy seemed to stand in front of me, and I wanted to just hug him.

"I'm scared," he admitted, his eyes set out on towards the Eiffel Tower. I could say nothing. I did not have a coming expiration date, and I was not his age. He was so young, and did not deserve to leave. Not yet, not so soon.

I placed a hand on his shoulder, gazing up at the starry sky. I decided I knew exactly what he needed.

"Ari? Have you ever made a wish?" I questioned, the boy shifting his head towards me. He sighed, glancing up in the direction I was.

"Once," he whispered, his hands shaking. "I wanted a family…A mom, a sister, and my dad to love me."

Jeb. I wanted to harm him, to rip him to shreds after all of the things that he had done to his own son.

_**I had to, Max. Itex found out about him.**_

_You did not have to give up your own son, Jeb. No person ever HAS to do anything like that._

Silence. Great, just what I wanted. I realized why Ari had been so vicious, so hateful, so angry towards us. He had been made promises, and his one wish had been thrown away the moment the Eraser DNA had been injected into him. His one dream had been crushed and burned in the night, when I was given a chance. When the Flock was given a chance.

He sighed, his hand reaching back and raking his fingers through his hair. I smiled, as he stared down at his feet.

"I'm dying soon and I…I think I might have some things I want to do before I…" he could not finish his sentence. I looked over at him, his eyes watering slightly.

"Max?" he asked me, and at that moment, I would go and tell him the moon was made out of cottage cheese if he asked me.

"Yeah?" I responded, as he reached into his jacket. I was afraid it was a needle or some sort of weapon. I shivered for a moment, but was completely shocked when he withdrew the unlikely.

It was a tattered old book, labled 'Good Night, Moon'. I knew immediately what he wanted, and I was glad to oblige. He scooted closer to me, as I gently set the book across my lap. We must have been the most insane picture: a teenager with wings with a wolf-boy seated beside her reading 'Good Night, Moon'.

By the end of the story, Ari was asleep beside me. "Good night stars, good night air. Good night noises everywhere," I finished. He was curled up near me, his head rested on my shoulder. I smiled, wrapping an arm around him.

* * *

Sometimes, it's hard to be forgiving. Ari nearly killed my family, and Fang could have died. He could have killed MY Fang…wait, did I just say that? Nevermind. But after all of that, I realized what really made him this way. He was never shown love, real love. His mother had died when he was born, and Jeb never bade him real love. Ari was a kid who was mistreated, just like me and the Flock. He had the rough side of it all, facing it alone and without anyone. 

I had the Flock.

But I think now, after his death, I've learned something. You can't cheat a human, or an Avian American or an Eraser out of love. That breeds hate, and well, I don't think having hate will help save the world.

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**Thanks everyone. I am almost positive that Max is out of character. But I am not very strong in a Max POV. I'm more of a Fang fan.**

**Fang: Thank you!**

**Me: You're welcome.**

**Anyway, I slipped a tiny bit of Fax. But have no worries! My next fic is Fax all the way. Cute little songfic. Hm…maybe I'll write a chain of songfics for the ships that I appreciate.**

**Fang: Works for me. Just as long as no one else gets Max but ME.**

**Me: Fine, fine. It's a deal. Now eat your cookie.**

**Fang: _munches_**

**Reviews, please?**

**-Fall Out Guirl**


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